"Once more the drama begins." - The Emperor Paul Muad'dib on his ascension to the Lion Throne

Twelve years have passed since the Battle of Arrakeen, where Paul Atreides wrestled the Imperium from the hands of the Padishah Emperor, and seized the Lion Throne for himself. Dune has become the political and economical centre of the universe, and the Qizarate priesthood has spread Muad'dib's name throughout space and turned him into not only an emperor with absolute power, but aBuddy read with Athena!

"Once more the drama begins." - The Emperor Paul Muad'dib on his ascension to the Lion Throne

Twelve years have passed since the Battle of Arrakeen, where Paul Atreides wrestled the Imperium from the hands of the Padishah Emperor, and seized the Lion Throne for himself. Dune has become the political and economical centre of the universe, and the Qizarate priesthood has spread Muad'dib's name throughout space and turned him into not only an emperor with absolute power, but a god in his own right.

Yet there are those who would topple the god emperor from his religious throne. In the grand circles of power, a new conspiracy arises from the shadows. Its goals and ambitions are many, and it seeks to infiltrate the ranks of the Atreides and the Fremen, striking at those closest to the emperor in order to remove him from power. And each step brings its plans closer to succeeding.

"Mysterious, lethal, an oracle without eyes,Catspaw of prophecy, whose voice never dies!"

Dune Messiah is, in many ways, even better than Dune. It cannot stand up to the wonder of discovering the world of Arrakis for the first time, but it certainly has other strengths. The setting and the writing style is mostly the same as in the first book. The story though, has changed dramatically. The first book is about Paul Atreides and his quest for vengeance against those who betrayed his family and seized their land. The second book is about managing an empire and protecting it from a devilishly dangerous conspiracy who shuns no means to achieve what they want. There is more political maneuvering, more hidden agendas, and more excitement for the reader.

The character have also grown more interesting in the second book. Paul, Chani and Irulan are all older and more experienced in the games of power, and were much more enjoyable to read about than they were in the first one. And perhaps the most fascinating character of them all is Alia, Paul's sister. Still only fifteen years of age, she is both a Reverend Mother of the Bene Gesserit, a leader of the Qizarate priesthood, and a powerful voice in the Imperial Council.

What truly made me decide to let this book keep the five stars from the first time I read it, was the ending. I will not go into details about it, but only say that this may be the most beautiful ending I have ever read in a sci-fi or fantasy book ever.

For those of you who have read Dune and are debating with yourselves whether or not to read its sequels, I hope this review will be helpful in deciding. For those of you who haven't read any of the books from this universe, know that it is in my eyes one of the greatest fictional series of all time. I would definitely recommend it to every single one of you, because it's a wonderful story with few equals in the world of science fiction.

Such a rich store of myths enfolds Paul Muad'dib, the Mentat Emperor, and his sister, Alia, it is difficult to see the real persons behind these veils. But there were, after all, a man born Paul Atreides and a woman born Alia. Their flesh was subject to space and time. And even though their oracular powers placed them beyond the usual limits of time and space, they came from human stock. They experienced real events which left real traces upon a real universe. To understand them, it must be seen that their catastrophe was the catastrophe of all mankind. This work is dedicated, then, not to Muad'dib or his sister, but to their heirs - to all of us. - Dedication in the Muad'dib Concordance as copied from The Tabla Memorium of the Mahdi Spirit Cult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.You know what it's like. Every decision seems so obviously sensible, but one thing just leads to another. We've all had it happen to us.

So, last time I had my family murdered by our hereditary enemies, I went into hiding in the desert too, and linked up with the tough native fighters there. I mean, who wouldn't? Since I had psychic powers, it seemed pretty crazy not to use them to gain some respect. Before I knew what had happened, I was the clan's leader. And, you get some momentum, you want toYou know what it's like. Every decision seems so obviously sensible, but one thing just leads to another. We've all had it happen to us.

So, last time I had my family murdered by our hereditary enemies, I went into hiding in the desert too, and linked up with the tough native fighters there. I mean, who wouldn't? Since I had psychic powers, it seemed pretty crazy not to use them to gain some respect. Before I knew what had happened, I was the clan's leader. And, you get some momentum, you want to keep it up, otherwise you just go backwards. Suddenly I found I was ruling the planet. I didn't expect it to be quite so easy to conquer the known Universe, but that bit always catches you by surprise.

On the way, I met this girl. I liked her, she liked me, well, you know how these things happen. She gets pregnant. Then, shit, I go and of course lose my sight in some kind of nuclear attack. I'm just kicking myself for being so careless. Girlfriend dies in childbirth, par for the course, and since she has twins all my psychic powers are gone. I keep meaning to find out why that happens, but I never get round to it.

Oh well, I guess I'll be left to die in the wilderness as usual, and the kids will turn into godlike mutant sandworms. Never mind. I'll try to do better next time. ...more

Four years after the publication of Dune, those who cried out for a sequel were finally answered. Frank Herbert returned to Arrakis for a book that was very different from the action packed first volume of the series, but at the same time, still held a lot of the familiar. When I tell people that I actually enjoyed the sequel to Dune more than the original, the answer I get from the overwhelming majority is, "Wait . . . Dune has a seqDune MessiahBy Frank Herbert

A Dune Retrospective by Eric Allen

Four years after the publication of Dune, those who cried out for a sequel were finally answered. Frank Herbert returned to Arrakis for a book that was very different from the action packed first volume of the series, but at the same time, still held a lot of the familiar. When I tell people that I actually enjoyed the sequel to Dune more than the original, the answer I get from the overwhelming majority is, "Wait . . . Dune has a sequel?" People know of Dune nowadays through the 1984 cult classic movie. Some people may be vaguely aware that the movie was based on a book, but never bothered to pick it up or look for sequels. Which is a shame, because they're missing out on this little gem of a book.

Twelve years after taking the throne of the empire for himself in Dune, Paul "Muad'Dib" Atreides has become something of a God, or Savior figure to the Fremen, who have taken up arms and spread out throughout the entire known universe bringing a Holy War to subjugate all beneath his rule. All of this, very much against Paul's own wishes. He has become a figurehead, standing atop the empire as Emperor, while priests of the religion that worships him rule in his name. He has made good his promise to begin turning Dune into a paradise, and now the desert runs freely with water. Another sign to his followers of his godhood.

Princess Irulan, Paul's trophy wife, and the means by which he secured the throne is anxious to follow her Bene Gesserit orders to bear the royal heir, but Paul has no love for her and refuses it to her, instead remaining true to his real, Fremen wife Chani. This leads Irulan to join a conspiracy against the Emperor, meant to discredit him, destroy his reputation, and take the wind out of the Fremen Zealots' sails. Out of spite, she has been feeding Chani contraceptives to prevent her from ever bearing Paul an heir, but this plan failed, and Chani conceived anyway.

(view spoiler)[It is discovered that Fremen are part of the conspiracy against Paul, and while meeting with a man to get the names, Paul is blinded in an attempt on his life. Through the powers of his oracular sight, he can still see, though his body is blind.

Long story short, after Chani dies in childbirth, Paul wanders into the desert alone, blind and broken, never to be seen again, and leaving the Empire in the hands of his sister Alia until his children are old enough to assume rule. (hide spoiler)]

The Good? Again, Frank Herbert did a ridiculous amount of research before writing this book. It shows in how he truly understands the mechanics of economics, politics, and religion. The religion that he has built up around Paul is intriguing, and realistic, and the atrocities that its zealots commit in his name feel logical, and realistic as well.

Paul's suffering under the burden of the sins of those who follow him is really well done. This book is more a character study on him, than really anything else, showing the impact his actions have had on him as a person. This is a very different kind of book than the first in the series. Where the first book was all about war, this one is all about the consequences of it on the man that started it all. Despite its short length, this book has a very big and important message, and it delivers it exquisitely. Many people tend to complain that this book is rather boring after the first one, but I found Paul's inner struggles to be just as, or perhaps even more entertaining than the battles of conquest and Paul's coming of age, etc from the first book.

This book is remarkably better written and put together than the first book. Not only did Frank Herbert apparently do quite a bit of research in the four years between books, but he also improved on his skills as a writer quite a bit. The storyline is tighter, less convoluted and far less confusing than that of the first book. It almost reads like something written by a completely different writer because of the increased quality of the writing, and the change of focus, but at the same time, it still has his unique style and flair to it.

The Bad? I have never liked the Third Person Omniscient perspective that Frank Herbert uses. This is where the story is told by a narrator in third person that will change viewpoints between characters at the drop of a hat, without warning when any given character has any important thoughts or observations on what's going on. I find it to be rather confusing and distracting at times, and I've always thought of the style as rather amateurish. This is wholly a point of opinion, and true, many very good books are written in this particular perspective, but I don't like it, and will always count it as a bad mark against any book it appears in.

Frank Herbert doesn't really seem to "get" female characters. He doesn't really seem to understand what motivates women, how they think, how they act, how they talk, and why they do the things that they do. Going by his female characters, one could almost say that he never met a real woman in his life. As such, they are basically just men with breasts. They have all the right girly bits, because someone in the universe has to, but the their minds and personalities are about the furthest thing from feminine as is possible. Back in the '60s this was a VERY common thing, which is getting somewhat better these days, but still lingers on. Frank Herbert's portrayal of women fits those of the times, but to anyone that might be, or has ever actually met, a real woman before, it's going to feel a bit off. Back in the day this sort of thing was acceptable, but I find it to be annoying and distracting, if not downright offensive, in this day and age.

In conclusion, Dune Messiah is a VERY different type of book than its predecessor Dune, and it does have its vices, but the good more than outweighs the bad by far. The focus on Paul's dilemma with the Jihad that he inadvertently started is spectacular. Watching his inner turmoil over the countless billions that have died in his name play out is excellent. And if the female characters are off, everything else is dead on. He's created a fantastic world, with fantastic people (if you think of them all as men, anyway) to live in it, and did a great deal of research to make everything from the economics to the religion feel realistic. As an entry in the Dune Saga, it's probably one of the best.

Check out my other reviews.["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>...more

This was a good sequel to a great book, which is actually harder to pull off than we give authors credit for. When they set the bar so high with an exceptional first novel in a series they're expected to meet or better it which is not an easy task. I think it was very well done in this case.

12 years have passed since the end of Dune. We're thrust into a world where the long term consequences of actions taken in the first book are evident and seldom what we expected or what was intended.

There weThis was a good sequel to a great book, which is actually harder to pull off than we give authors credit for. When they set the bar so high with an exceptional first novel in a series they're expected to meet or better it which is not an easy task. I think it was very well done in this case.

12 years have passed since the end of Dune. We're thrust into a world where the long term consequences of actions taken in the first book are evident and seldom what we expected or what was intended.

There were two main points that really struck me about this book. The first was that the commentary on government and power was well developed and thoughtfully presented. The other was the way in which seeing the future as a sequence of possibilities all changed by small actions was presented. Usually the future is one thing and fate or destiny allow multiple paths but only one outcome. I've always found this hard to accept and find Herbert's way of dealing with knowing the future far better thought out.

IgorI'm not sure why but I never consider continuing with the series, Dune as it is was enough. This is going to change especially because of the reviewsI'm not sure why but I never consider continuing with the series, Dune as it is was enough. This is going to change especially because of the reviews like this one. Thanks Penny!...more
May 26, 2013 01:47AM

PennyThanks Igor :) I agree that Dune worked well as a stand alone novel it wasn't really necessary to read on, but I just wasn't ready to leave this worldThanks Igor :) I agree that Dune worked well as a stand alone novel it wasn't really necessary to read on, but I just wasn't ready to leave this world yet. I'll continue with the series and let you know what the rest are like too....more
May 26, 2013 08:46AM

IgorExcellent as I kind of switched to new Sanderson's book and will continue with this steampunk alike books. Getting to 2nd book of Dune will be sooo eaExcellent as I kind of switched to new Sanderson's book and will continue with this steampunk alike books. Getting to 2nd book of Dune will be sooo easy :DThank you!...more
May 26, 2013 04:11PM

So I thought Dune was the best thing since the bound codex, right? And I read it about five times over the course of my young-adulthood. And then I read Messiah and was pretty much completely dissatisfied. Not enough to give it a poor rating, since it is interesting (I mean, we all still care about Paul, even if he is a whiner) and it did keep my attention.You haven't seen foreshadowing until you've read Dune Messiah. It takes that to a whole new, grotesque level. And pretentiousness. Thought DuSo I thought Dune was the best thing since the bound codex, right? And I read it about five times over the course of my young-adulthood. And then I read Messiah and was pretty much completely dissatisfied. Not enough to give it a poor rating, since it is interesting (I mean, we all still care about Paul, even if he is a whiner) and it did keep my attention.You haven't seen foreshadowing until you've read Dune Messiah. It takes that to a whole new, grotesque level. And pretentiousness. Thought Dune was pretentious? Hah! This one makes Dune look like a chimney-sweep in comparison. It's as though Frank Herbert managed to make a blunt weapon out of pretentiousness and use it directly on the reader's mind.My final impression was of just another massive philosophical acid trip consisting of a bunch of people smarter than me bandying hints and portentous minutiae in the middle of a half-realized desert wonderland for over three hundred pages. And I didn't really care about Duncan Idaho, anyway, since he was only in Dune for like forty pages and he only spoke about twice. Telling me ten times in a row that Paul really really liked Idaho is not going to make me feel the same way about him, Frank Herbert!Now I'm afraid to read number three....more

The whole thing with Paul being able to (view spoiler)[see after his eyes are burned out: (hide spoiler)] still cool. But on this, my third or fourth reading, I'm realizing there's not much to this book. It simply bridges the first and third. No Jessica, no war, no revolution, no emergence of a new messiah . . . eh.

Also Alia has the potential to be such a fascinating character, but she's underused and underwritten. And I already know that in the next book she's going to be crazy and retconned haThe whole thing with Paul being able to (view spoiler)[see after his eyes are burned out: (hide spoiler)] still cool. But on this, my third or fourth reading, I'm realizing there's not much to this book. It simply bridges the first and third. No Jessica, no war, no revolution, no emergence of a new messiah . . . eh.

Also Alia has the potential to be such a fascinating character, but she's underused and underwritten. And I already know that in the next book she's going to be crazy and retconned half to death (which I can NEVER get used to, and which NEVER ceases to drive me bonkers), so this is our last chance to view mad, violent (yet in control of her own mind,) beautiful Alia. And there's such potential in that early scene with the practice droid, but then all she does is have visions and get pissed off at Duncan. Yawn.

[Re-read in August of 2008. Initially read in . . . 2000? And re-read several times after that.]["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>...more

I don't normally look at reviews of a book prior to writing my own take on it, but sometime I just draw a blank after finishing a book. Some books are harder to review than others, sometime because I feel ambivalent about them, sometime I don’t fully understand them, and sometime I don’t know the reason, they just are. After finishing Dune Messiah I feel like I need some kind of launching pad to start off the review, some inspiration or perhaps I will resort to simply ripping off somebody’s reviI don't normally look at reviews of a book prior to writing my own take on it, but sometime I just draw a blank after finishing a book. Some books are harder to review than others, sometime because I feel ambivalent about them, sometime I don’t fully understand them, and sometime I don’t know the reason, they just are. After finishing Dune Messiah I feel like I need some kind of launching pad to start off the review, some inspiration or perhaps I will resort to simply ripping off somebody’s review wholesale (unfortunately Cecily has not reviewed this one yet so I'll pass on the last option ;)

Dune, as you are undoubtedly aware, is probably the most famous sci-fi novel of all time. Dune Messiah is like Frank Herbert’s equivalent of Michael Jackson’s “Bad” album in that it has to follow up a once in a lifetime mega hit and is doomed to come up short. Having read the book I do not get the feeling that Frank Herbert was feeling under pressure to match Dune’s success. Perhaps authors are not subject to the same level of pressure as pop stars.

At around 340 pages Dune Messiah is about half the length of Dune, it is also very different in tone and pacing. It starts off twelve years after the events of Dune. Our literally know it all hero Paul "Muad'Dib" Atreides is now Emperor of the known universe and is having a suitably heroic melancholic time of it on account of the jihad which caused billions of death in his name. In the meantime powerful enemies are ganging up to snuff him out because he is too powerful, he is literally a know-it-all thanks to his oracular powers, and nobody likes a smartass. His wife concubine can not have a baby because his legal wife slipped her some contraceptive (and oracular powers apparently do not cover food additives). To make matters worse (or perhaps better) his dead teacher Duncan Idaho is returned to him as a sort of clone (ghola) with a suspicious mission and a new highly ominous name of Hayt. With all the odds stacked against him how can he survive? With panache of course!

The first third of the book is very interesting with all the aforementioned odds being piled up against Paul, then the pacing of the book begin to sag with a lot of ruminations and philosophizing by the major characters and my mind drifted off to parts unknown. After a rather dry 100 or so pages the plot revives quite a bit and the climax is quite thrilling (if not exactly unpredictable).

This book clearly has a lot of depth, themes and subtexts, unfortunately its profundity mostly escaped me as profundities tend to do. One of the Amazon reviewers mentioned that the book is so profound wh8ile reading it he frequently had to stop to think about what Herbert was really saying. The stoppages I made are mostly to do with thinking about my options for lunch and other mundane things.

The two central characters are less compelling than they were in the previous book, Paul is all broody and miserable, his sister Alia goes through mood swings between being supernaturally sage, overly shrill and a teenager with a crush. Hayt/Idaho is pretty cool though, is he or isn’t he? Of course he is!

For me Dune Messiah acts as a slightly dull (but not too shabby) bridge to go on to the original trilogy’s grand finale Children of Dune which is brilliant by all accounts and I am looking forward to reading soonish....more

I'd have been amazed if this one was as phenomenal as the first, and it wasn't. It was, however, Frank Herbert, who surprises me with his philosophy and world vision all the time. Compared to Dune, though, this book just lacked a lot of protein. Perhaps it's because the incredibly rich new world of Dune/Arrakis was already in place, and I wasn't the wide-eyed, amazed traveler through it any longer, but it wasn't the page-turner of the last for me. Still, I'll read them all, and wish Frank HerberI'd have been amazed if this one was as phenomenal as the first, and it wasn't. It was, however, Frank Herbert, who surprises me with his philosophy and world vision all the time. Compared to Dune, though, this book just lacked a lot of protein. Perhaps it's because the incredibly rich new world of Dune/Arrakis was already in place, and I wasn't the wide-eyed, amazed traveler through it any longer, but it wasn't the page-turner of the last for me. Still, I'll read them all, and wish Frank Herbert was around so that I could buy him dinner and pick his brain. ...more

5.0 stars. Second volume in the superb Dune series. I actually liked this volume even more than Dune. If possible I would recommend listening to the audio version of this series as the production value is amazing. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!!!

I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I liked Dune. But in some ways it was actually better. I love Dune but I love the world, the language, and the over all experience. And even though I like the minor characters, I just never connected with Paul or really any of the leads. Actually I found most of them to be arrogant and manipulative. But this sequel, which is more like an added end chapter, I found some of what I was missing. Paul become more human, questioning his role and his right. AnI wasn't expecting to like this as much as I liked Dune. But in some ways it was actually better. I love Dune but I love the world, the language, and the over all experience. And even though I like the minor characters, I just never connected with Paul or really any of the leads. Actually I found most of them to be arrogant and manipulative. But this sequel, which is more like an added end chapter, I found some of what I was missing. Paul become more human, questioning his role and his right. And his fear. And one of my major questions from the first was addressed in here. I liked it and it makes me want to read Dune again with new eyes. Recommended to anyone who read Dune but for whatever reason haven't read it yet....more

I liked Dune, not so much the two following volumes. For a time I felt like Herbert basically felt he'd promised 2 more books and sort of knocked them out. In other words, "I promised a 3 books so...here".

I know others don't feel that way...but not my favorites. They don't sustain the level of story telling found in Dune.

I devoured this book in just 3 days, it is simply that compelling. What more can I say about the most-read sci-fi epic ever written? The Dune series has everything I want in an epic: politics, humanity, religion and space. While the first book deals with revolution, noble families and the fulfillment of prophecy, this second part deals with the personal struggle of the new leader of humanity and the emotional ramifications of being the figurehead of a jihad being waged in his name.

What happensI devoured this book in just 3 days, it is simply that compelling. What more can I say about the most-read sci-fi epic ever written? The Dune series has everything I want in an epic: politics, humanity, religion and space. While the first book deals with revolution, noble families and the fulfillment of prophecy, this second part deals with the personal struggle of the new leader of humanity and the emotional ramifications of being the figurehead of a jihad being waged in his name.

What happens to a man with absolute power when those around him act on their belief that absolute power corrupts absolutely? Reading this story, one begins to see the themes that have permeated the biggest sci-fi stories of our time: Dune echoes throughout "the matrix" and "star wars" movies and even my beloved "Ender Wiggin Saga," in that we are thrust into a new and strange universe centered around one very human and vulnerable character, then guided through a story that strips away all of the foreign technologies and political dynamics to show us ourselves, in our own lives.

Whether you read for leisure or enlightenment, the use of intrigue, violence and the overall tone of questioning the establishment will appeal. This story maturates the reader and provokes one to question the role of politics and religion in our daily existence....more

After re-reading Dune recently, I decided to finally get around to reading Dune Messiah - the sequel to Dune and the bridge to Children of Dune. Unfortunately, Dune Messiah is a whole lot of standing around and talking for the entire book. It took me a long time to read because I just couldn't find the motivation to keep wading through dense dialogue, and when I did reach the end, I found it sadly to be short and quick, which didn't make up for the long, long drawn-out nature of the book.

I likedAfter re-reading Dune recently, I decided to finally get around to reading Dune Messiah - the sequel to Dune and the bridge to Children of Dune. Unfortunately, Dune Messiah is a whole lot of standing around and talking for the entire book. It took me a long time to read because I just couldn't find the motivation to keep wading through dense dialogue, and when I did reach the end, I found it sadly to be short and quick, which didn't make up for the long, long drawn-out nature of the book.

I liked being able to read from Alia's viewpoint, but I missed reading about the desert and the Fremen people that made Dune captivating. I never got interested in Hayt/Duncan Idaho and quite frankly disliked him, although I got the feeling that I should have been liking him. Frank Herbert beats you over the head with the "eye" symbolism, but leaves you a little confused over the concept of prescience, but by the end I just didn't care enough to re-read more carefully. If you wanted, you could just read a summary of Dune Messiah and not miss much....more

I really liked Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novel Dune when I first read it a few months ago --so much so that I named it one of the best books I read that year. But upon finally getting around to the sequel, Dune Messiah I'm pretty disappointed. It's really boring.

Don't get me wrong, I can see some of the impressive literary clockwork that Herbert assembles in the book. Where Dune told the story of Paul Muad’Dib's rise to the Emperor, controller of the universe's only source of the cI really liked Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novel Dune when I first read it a few months ago --so much so that I named it one of the best books I read that year. But upon finally getting around to the sequel, Dune Messiah I'm pretty disappointed. It's really boring.

Don't get me wrong, I can see some of the impressive literary clockwork that Herbert assembles in the book. Where Dune told the story of Paul Muad’Dib's rise to the Emperor, controller of the universe's only source of the coveted super spice "melange," and general badass dude, Messiah tells the story of his downfall. It also follows through on one of the more interesting concepts introduced in the first book: Paul's spice-induced ability to foresee the eventual species-wide extinction of humans and the hard choices he has to make in order to steer history towards a lesser evil. Indeed, Messiah fast forwards to a point where Paul's fanatic followers have propagated a holy war that has destroyed entire planets and left over 60 billion people dead in just a few years. By those measures, Paul is the worst monster history has ever created, yet he has to bear the mostly private burden of knowing that he's killing all those people to save the race as a whole while simultaneously trying to outmaneuver his political opponents and crafty assassins. Angst!

The problem I have with Messiah is that it suffers acutely from a kind of talking head syndrome. It's not until the back sixth or so of the book that anything interesting happens. Dune had sword fights, skirmishes, Paul and his mother tromping around the deadly desert of Arakis meeting and learning about the Fremen, and all other kinds of adventures. Messiah devotes literally dozens of pages at a time to sitting in a room listening to conspirators talk to each other. And then talking about what the talking means. And then thinking about what the talking about the talking means. It's terrible and jarring to see how Herbert has switched gears so abruptly from fascinating adventure and world building to stark exposition and naval gazing.

Not that some of the ideas aren't interesting. The way that Paul must grapple with his precognition and how he has to grasp at things to try and leave humanity on the path to survival in the wake of his inevitable fall is a complex and fascinating idea, for one. And I liked the idea of how his strengths are the things that ultimately do him in --sometimes literally. It's just that I wish Herbert had found ways to make this story less tedious in its execution.

I've avoided the sequels to Dune before this because I was afraid something would go wrong. And, to an extent, something did. Dune Messiah lacks a lot of the action that helped move the original along, its replaced by a lot of philosophying and talk talk talk talk talk. The chapter headings also felt off, as if Herbert didn't have the confidence to do with them what he did for Dune, revealing matters of plot and putting the events of the book within the context of a stable future looking back atI've avoided the sequels to Dune before this because I was afraid something would go wrong. And, to an extent, something did. Dune Messiah lacks a lot of the action that helped move the original along, its replaced by a lot of philosophying and talk talk talk talk talk. The chapter headings also felt off, as if Herbert didn't have the confidence to do with them what he did for Dune, revealing matters of plot and putting the events of the book within the context of a stable future looking back at it.

But removing that layer might have been Herbert's intention. Paul's prescient visions cannot see the workings of other oracles so he cannot get to the root of a great plot against him, the proliferation of Dune tarot decks further muddy his path forward. He sees an undesirable end, but he can't be sure that that end isn't as inevitable as the jihad carried out across the galaxy in his name that has claimed millions and millions of lives. Paul is the God-Emperor but he is powerless to stop it or prevent harm to his family without fear of causing even greater harm. However, for all the blather and frustrated scheme-tracings of the characters, the book does pick up eventually and many characters accomplish a great deal. Irulan did not stand out as I'd hoped, but Alia is built up well enough that you come to care about her destiny as much as Paul's.

What happens here does seem so inevitable, but we're assured that it was victory. I'm not so sure, but I'm confident enough to keep going with these....more

started reading Dune before Christmas and read several other books while reading this one. I hate myself for not giving it the attention it deserves. Because of the numerous interruptions, I feel like I've missed the feeling of a dry, waterless sand planet, but serves me right--it was a completely wrong time for reading about a desert planet when the snow was knee-high. I wish I have had a whole week off to dedicate myself truly to the fantastic world of Arrakis and the genius of frank Herbert'sstarted reading Dune before Christmas and read several other books while reading this one. I hate myself for not giving it the attention it deserves. Because of the numerous interruptions, I feel like I've missed the feeling of a dry, waterless sand planet, but serves me right--it was a completely wrong time for reading about a desert planet when the snow was knee-high. I wish I have had a whole week off to dedicate myself truly to the fantastic world of Arrakis and the genius of frank Herbert's writing.

Dune was originally published in 1965. It won the Hugo and Nebula Awards and became the first bestselling Sci-Fi hardcover. There are few sequels to Dune; Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse Dune.

Though I'm not much of a Sci-Fi fan, Dune changed my attitude, partly because it's not a typical SF. This epic story of a young man who needs to find his place not only on the new planet, so different from anything he knew before, and squeeze in the fact that he is the Messiah, the new Emperor, not to mention losing his father... It's so much more. A true coming of age novel.

As odd as it may sound--I'm not a fan of Dune, but a fan of Frank Herbert. His writing style is compelling, dialogues intelligent and well-thought out,often cryptic and referring to events that are yet to happen.

What particularly caught my interest is Herbert's way of shaping his characters. Fleshed out to tiniest details, they will have you care for them, whether you hate them or fret over their safety. Though Paul was annoying at moments, getting very self-important (okay, I get it, you're the one the whole universe is waiting for, but still...), he changes a lot by the second installment, Dune Messiah.Some editions actually put these two together, as one book, though I think separating them was a better decision; the tone is completely different, there is a twelve years gap between the ending of Dune and beginning of Dune Messiah, and, as I've mentioned, the tone changes extremely. Though I found Paul annoying in the first book, the second book sees him reconciling the bloody events his assertion has caused, and I felt a sort of sympathy for him. On the other hand, some characters I wanted to like turned out to be the bad guys. Another feather in Mr. Herbert's hat--each character has an agenda and his own means of achieving it, which only contributes to the amazing characterization.

Oh...when it comes to romance...the romance between Alia and Duncan Idaho is just the cutest romance I have ever read about. And there are five sentences at most about it. Go figure.

Of course I couldn't help myself comparing it to The Lord of the Rings. Both Tolkien and Herbert have managed to create fantastic worlds, very different though, yet both marvelous and seemingly spreading outside the boundaries of their covers. I've been paying a lot of attention to the difference in language. Tolkien's language is much more "colorful", with a brighter imagery than Herbert's. But Tolkien was a poet, a philologist, by nature prone to create vivid depictions of Middleearth. Herbert, on the other hand was a journalist (and an oyster diver, but that hardly matters here). The language of Dune is the language of politics, of diplomacy, often doublespeak and "gloved" speaking, completely suitable to the atmosphere of political games on Arrakis.Because of this, I recommend Dune to everyone. Taking into account what's sometimes being offered in the literature of today, with Dune I was actually reading English in its full beauty.

Dune is rich with--not only melange--but with a deep philosophy of nature. Herbert discusses climate changes, conscious alteration of the atmosphere, even at a cost as great as destroying the most valuable thing Arrakis can offer--melange spice. It clearly shows how one man's meat can be another man's poison. Figuratively, of course. It's about water that is so scarce on Arrakis that they have to retrieve it from their dead....more

I think most people don't particularly like this book, but I'm not sure why. Is it because Paul-Muad'Dib, Messiah, Emperor, God, is shown as a flawed human? Is it because we see that even with his awesome powers, he's still unable to map the future, to escape the future, the same as any ordinary human? We know Paul was never going to be perfect, was never going to be an angelic being or benevolent emperor; Frank Herbert told us that in "Dune." We know that Paul knew his destiny, knew the consequI think most people don't particularly like this book, but I'm not sure why. Is it because Paul-Muad'Dib, Messiah, Emperor, God, is shown as a flawed human? Is it because we see that even with his awesome powers, he's still unable to map the future, to escape the future, the same as any ordinary human? We know Paul was never going to be perfect, was never going to be an angelic being or benevolent emperor; Frank Herbert told us that in "Dune." We know that Paul knew his destiny, knew the consequences of his actions, from the earliest moments; we can speculate that he might've even had the power to change the outcome, to escape the jihad fought in his name, to fling off the mantle of power that weighed upon him and turned his friends and companions into slavish minions, willing to do anything in the name of Muad'Dib. And yet he didn't. He continued on his course of actions, perhaps because, in his arrogance, he began to believe too much in his own mythology--Muad'Dib, the Kwisatz Haderch, the Lisan al-Gaib; perhaps he even grew to enjoy the trappings of power, underneath his disdain. And perhaps that is what truly destroyed him, in the end: recognition of his human-ness underneath the godhead. I found this book to be just as powerful as "Dune" as it explores what happens to the messiah once he is accepted and the changes he's wrought become routine and ritualized. It wasn't about the world-shaking changes he brought to everyone else; it was about the psyche-shaking changes his role brought to himself, the dark side of power that defines who and what we become. ...more

This book was every bit as terrible as I remembered. I was committed to not abandoning it as I did last time because I want to delve a little further into the Dune series. Dune is one of my favorite novels. Even through there is precedent, it is hard to accept that sequels can be such a complete reversal.

Dune is a strong story about an interesting life. A minor weakness of the book is that it is asserted, but never shown, that the events unfolding will impact inter-galactic empires, create a holThis book was every bit as terrible as I remembered. I was committed to not abandoning it as I did last time because I want to delve a little further into the Dune series. Dune is one of my favorite novels. Even through there is precedent, it is hard to accept that sequels can be such a complete reversal.

Dune is a strong story about an interesting life. A minor weakness of the book is that it is asserted, but never shown, that the events unfolding will impact inter-galactic empires, create a holy jihad and cause the rise of a major religion centering on the main character. This fails to hurt the book because of none of this actually happens within the confines of Dune, aside from a minor scene at the end that crowns him. This event, in itself, is consistent with the plot.

Dune Messiah starts with having accepted that all we were told to expect has happened and then wallows in the religious weirdness it creates. Very little happens. I'm not sure it is possible to recover from here, but will try Children of Dune before giving up....more

In many ways, this was not as good as the first book, but perhaps in part because it is not nearly as long and involved - the plot is relatively simple here. That said, there is certainly something provocative being explored in this book about humanity and human frailty.

I must admit that I felt lost through much of the book, in the sense that I felt like the characters were discussing things that I did not know or understand, but by the time I got to the end, everything seemed to fall into placIn many ways, this was not as good as the first book, but perhaps in part because it is not nearly as long and involved - the plot is relatively simple here. That said, there is certainly something provocative being explored in this book about humanity and human frailty.

I must admit that I felt lost through much of the book, in the sense that I felt like the characters were discussing things that I did not know or understand, but by the time I got to the end, everything seemed to fall into place. Herbert does not take to explaining a lot about his sci-fi setting, but in some ways I think that is what makes his writing superior to some. A book that requires too much explanation of the science and culture of the setting is a book that becomes more tour guide than novel. We want to experience the new and the different, not be lectured to in a novel. I think Herbert's writing definitely reflects deep thought and understanding on the author's part. This book would probably be worth a second read, which is rarely true of sci-fi fantasy novels in my opinion....more

Dune Messiah is the first sequel to the Science Fiction classic Dune and will not disappoint fans of the Dune universe.

The plot continues 12 years after the events of Dune end; Paul is now the emperor to thousands of planets and the ‘Jihad’ prophesied is under way. There is a treacherous plot to bring about his downfall which he has foreseen but certain events and people are clouded and unclear.

Character development follows on from Dune as well; characters are described through thoughts of otherDune Messiah is the first sequel to the Science Fiction classic Dune and will not disappoint fans of the Dune universe.

The plot continues 12 years after the events of Dune end; Paul is now the emperor to thousands of planets and the ‘Jihad’ prophesied is under way. There is a treacherous plot to bring about his downfall which he has foreseen but certain events and people are clouded and unclear.

Character development follows on from Dune as well; characters are described through thoughts of others and their own reflected thoughts as they see them in the eyes of others. Without risk of spoilers for Dune; some old favourite characters are back though some are developed and others are just for plot continuation. One major theme from Dune was characters being very cerebral and their thoughts being viewable by the reader. This was a well liked concept and I’m happy to say it continues in the second book.

The world building isn't quite as advanced in Messiah as it was in the original due to, of course, knowledge of Arrakis and the systems within it being there already. There is more information and explanation on other parts of the universe, though not as detailed as Dune itself. The Bene Gesserit is featured and developed more, showing what lengths they will consider to reach their final end.

In Summary: An excellent Science Fiction novel that continues on the story started in the classic Dune. If you enjoyed Dune and want to know more about the world it inhabits and all it’s characters then this is highly recommended....more

It's hard to add anything to what's been said about Frank Herbert's "Dune" in the 45 years since it first appeared. "Dune" was already a classic when i read it in 1981, and unlike many SF books from the cusp of speculative fiction's New Wave, its impact remains as timeless now as it did then. Herbert grounded his sprawling tale of imperial politics and ecological revolution in a character story worthy of Tolstoy, downplaying the nuts-and-bolts aspects of his milieu's technology in a way that preIt's hard to add anything to what's been said about Frank Herbert's "Dune" in the 45 years since it first appeared. "Dune" was already a classic when i read it in 1981, and unlike many SF books from the cusp of speculative fiction's New Wave, its impact remains as timeless now as it did then. Herbert grounded his sprawling tale of imperial politics and ecological revolution in a character story worthy of Tolstoy, downplaying the nuts-and-bolts aspects of his milieu's technology in a way that prevents "Dune" from seeming stale, even today.

As with many of the most seminal works of speculative fiction and fantasy, the most amazing thing about "Dune" is how close it came to never seeing print, having been passed over by twenty publishers before being initially picked up by a nonfiction small press. In the canon of F&SF, there are few books whose importance literally cannot be understated. "Dune" is one of those. Without it, the world of imaginative literature would not be the same.

I break with a lot of Herbert fans in my complete dispassion for the later "Dune" books, including the capstone of the original trilogy, "Children of Dune". To anyone who hasn't read the books, my recommendation is always to read "Dune" and "Dune Messiah" back to back as one continuous narrative, with the sequel bringing Herbert's vision to a satisfying and heartbreaking end....more

When I finished DUNE, I was pretty reluctant to read its first sequel. This was because I read in reviews all over the Internet that it was boring that it was basically only a bridge between DUNE and CHILDREN OF DUNE.

To be honest, I actually thought DUNE MESSIAH was better than DUNE. It's not quite the epic that DUNE was but I really liked how some of the character became more developed. I didn't like Paul in the first book (although I did like just about every character other than him) but I liWhen I finished DUNE, I was pretty reluctant to read its first sequel. This was because I read in reviews all over the Internet that it was boring that it was basically only a bridge between DUNE and CHILDREN OF DUNE.

To be honest, I actually thought DUNE MESSIAH was better than DUNE. It's not quite the epic that DUNE was but I really liked how some of the character became more developed. I didn't like Paul in the first book (although I did like just about every character other than him) but I liked how the book showed his feelings toward the jihad and his prescience and how he was more sympathetic.

My favorite character was probably Irulan. It's too bad she's only in the first half of the book. Alia's also pretty cool and I hope she'll be a more prominent character in CHILDREN OF DUNE. Scytale was an okay villain. One thing that was better about DUNE was that it had better villains. Scytale wasn't bad but he wasn't so awesome as Baron Harkonnen.

Something I thought was interesting - Hayt reminded me of Michael Fassbender's David in PROMETHEUS. I don't know why but he did. Of all the characters who didn't appear in the first book, he was the most interesting. Well, technically, he did but it's not like I cared about Duncan Idaho. His Wikipedia page may say that he was a breakout character with fans of DUNE and that's why he's the one who was resurrected by Frank Herbert (I personally thought Thufir Hawat should have been resurrected) but I didn't think he had a big enough part to like him that much.

I admit that the fourth fifth of the book gets kind of boring but the last fifth totally made up for it. The confrontation between Scytale and Paul, Paul's connection with his children, and the very last scene with Hayt/Duncan and Alia in the desert were wonderful.

The only thing I thought was weird was how the Bene Tleilaxu didn't appear in DUNE but they have such a big role here.

So yeah, I think DUNE MESSIAH is definitely worth taking a look at if you've read DUNE. ...more

Paul Atreides might very well be my favorite fictional character of all-time. Re-reading Dune Messiah really helped me appreciate the complexity and depth of the series, which I couldn't fully grasp back when I was 13.I've decided to change my rating from 4 to 5 stars. That's how much I loved it!

The second volume in Frank Herbert's original Dune series. This one finds us 12 years after the end of Dune. The Jihad that Paul Muad'Dib Atreides had feared has been unleashed upon the Imperial Galaxy, leaving over 6 billion dead. Paul himself has ascended to near-divine status, ruling through a theocracy that reveres him as a quasi-god, his mother as a sort of Virgin Mary, and his Sister Alia as an almost demonic force of nature. At the same time, the ecological changesSome Spoilers follow...

The second volume in Frank Herbert's original Dune series. This one finds us 12 years after the end of Dune. The Jihad that Paul Muad'Dib Atreides had feared has been unleashed upon the Imperial Galaxy, leaving over 6 billion dead. Paul himself has ascended to near-divine status, ruling through a theocracy that reveres him as a quasi-god, his mother as a sort of Virgin Mary, and his Sister Alia as an almost demonic force of nature. At the same time, the ecological changes begun by Pardot & Liet-Kynes have been accelerated, starting the generations-long transformation of Arrakis from desert wasteland to water-rich world. As Paul struggles to find a way out the present-future his prescient visions have created, various forces in his imperium -- the Spacing Guild, the Bene Gesserit, disillusioned Fremen, and the newly introduced Bene Tleilax -- are working against him, trying to assassinate him and end the Atreides reign.

Much like Dune before it, Dune Messiah is all about plots, counter-plots, counter-counter-plots, bluffs, double-bluffs, trickery, scheming... you name it. When I first read it in high school -- over 15 years ago -- I didn't like it as much as Dune. I still find it somewhat inferior to the first book (whereas a number of reviews I've read recently actually prefer it to the first), but I appreciated it much more this time around. The tighter focus on Paul humanizes him for the readers at the same time as he is de-humanized in the world around him. His story is far more tragic in this volume; in Dune, he had been a boy coming to grips with an awesome power, struggling against monstrous forces and trying to take control of his future. In Messiah, we see that in struggling to control his future, he has trapped himself in it. Paul's story here is a story of a "great man" who doesn't move history so much as become just another tool in history's passage. The story offers us a fascinating insight into what it means to be a "messiah": a human being forced to become inhuman, looking for a moment when he can slip out of the mantle that has been placed on his shoulders. Most intriguingly, the messiah is only partially aware of the world he is meant to usher in. He knows his actions lead somewhere, but he cannot or will not see it fully.

All this makes for some rather opaque storytelling at times. The book is about mystery, as Paul's prescience is challenged by the muddying prophecies of others with a limited ability to see -- and therefore create -- the future. Each eye sees something else, but only part of the big picture. As readers, we read these competing visions, but only at the climax of the book do they begin to come together. Even then, we have the birth of the Children of Dune (the title/subject of the next volume) Leto II and Ghanima, and the hint at a grander vision beyond even Paul's Jihad and religious Empire. This can be frustrating at times -- one of the reasons why I found the book less appealing when I first read it -- but it is fundamental to what the story is about.

As for the things that bothered me, some of them still do. First is the introduction of the Bene Tleilax. They are thrust into the story without much explanation, but at the same time there isn't a whole lot of "mystery" about them -- it is as though you are just to know who they are. They do become more important in later books, but its a little confusing at first, as you feel like you've missed something from the first book. But more annoying than their sudden importance to the Dune universe is the revelation by one of the Tleilaxu that they had created a Kwisatch Haderach before -- the superbeing that had been the goal of the Bene Gesserit breeding program. A line casually tossed off by one of the Tleilaxu, this really undercuts the sense of Paul's importance and uniqueness. More importantly, though, it makes the Kwisatch Haderach seem less like an evolutionary leap in humankind and more like a science experiment. It also makes the Bene Gesserit look like idiots -- they've spent thousands of years breeding an superbeing, but the Tleilaxu somehow engineered one years before, and that one committed suicide? It really undermines the whole concept.

I was also somewhat bothered by the importance of the resurrected Duncan Idaho. In Dune, Idaho had largely been on the periphery. He rarely interacted with Paul, from what I remember, and died rather early in Paul's journey protecting him and his mother. Noble warrior and all, but a side character. He is reintroduced in this novel as a ghola, a resurrected body created by the aforementioned Tleilaxu. All of a sudden, he is Paul's closest companion. And Idaho continues to be central to the story through the next few novels. Not a big deal, but given how taken Paul is with Duncan you'd think he would have thought about him occasionally inbetween his death early in Dune and his return midway through Messiah. But, I guess Herbert wanted to bring back someone from Paul's past, and Idaho made sense, even if the lines between Paul's past with Idaho and his reaction to him in Messiah are thinly drawn.

So, overall, a very good book. Not quite as good as Dune, and I think the weakest of the first 4 (which are, in a sense, the "first part" of the Dune Saga, with Heretics & Chapterhouse being the "second part"). But still exciting and enjoyable. One thing, though: you can read Dune and stop there, but once you get to Dune Messiah, you're in the middle of a fairly continuous story that runs through God Emperor, the 4th book. So, be ready to invest a good bit of time....more

I finally read Dune Messiah, the second book in the Dune series, after years of only having read the first book.

Excellent. Dune and Dune Messiah, together, form a reasonably complete story. Some of it is invalidated and/or retconed by subsequent books (I'm reading Children of Dune right now), which is unfortunate, but in reading Dune Messiah, it's obvious that many elements of the setting, which seem like standard Space Opera color, such as the feudal system, were carefully chosen so nothing wouI finally read Dune Messiah, the second book in the Dune series, after years of only having read the first book.

Excellent. Dune and Dune Messiah, together, form a reasonably complete story. Some of it is invalidated and/or retconed by subsequent books (I'm reading Children of Dune right now), which is unfortunate, but in reading Dune Messiah, it's obvious that many elements of the setting, which seem like standard Space Opera color, such as the feudal system, were carefully chosen so nothing would get in the way of the issues that Herbert was highlighting: Struggling against destiny (prescience), choosing the lesser of many evils, the power of human genetics and genetic memory, the footprint of man on an ecological system, and the psychological power of religion, along with a healthy dose of politics and duty, feminine and mascline power, and explorations into human potential. It's surprising how little of the details of the setting turn out to be color; nearly everything seems to be carefully chosen to highlight the themes the author is working with.

I particularly enjoyed the bits with the ressurrected Duncan Idaho, not to mention seeing Alia get a little happiness. I like seeing my Abomination women get a little happiness. :)

If you're intimidated by the whole series, but felt that Dune was oddly incomplete, you can read Dune and Dune Messiah and reach a reasonable stopping point. In fact, the continuation seems a little weak, something I'll go into in more detail when I talk about Children of Dune in a later entry....more

I downloaded Dune Messiah as soon as I finished reading the orginial. Dune is one of the best books I've read, but I found Dune Messiah somewhat lacking the energy of the first.

At the end of Dune, Paul Atriedes, known as Muad'dhib by the bedouin Fremen, defeats Emperor Shaddam IV and his families arch-nemsis, Baron Harkonen. He marries Shaddam's daughter, Princess Irulan, to give legitmacy to his own rule as Emperor.

This signals the beginning of the Fremen Jihad which sweeps across the universeI downloaded Dune Messiah as soon as I finished reading the orginial. Dune is one of the best books I've read, but I found Dune Messiah somewhat lacking the energy of the first.

At the end of Dune, Paul Atriedes, known as Muad'dhib by the bedouin Fremen, defeats Emperor Shaddam IV and his families arch-nemsis, Baron Harkonen. He marries Shaddam's daughter, Princess Irulan, to give legitmacy to his own rule as Emperor.

This signals the beginning of the Fremen Jihad which sweeps across the universe and the religion of Muad'dhib, with Paul and his powerful sister Alia as its godheads, takes grip of every world the Fremen conquer. This all happens in between Dune and Dune Messiah.

The second book is just as well-written, but it lacks the energy and vitality of the first. I think this is because Paul does little but sit in his fortress brooding about the things that are happening around him, trapped in the path layed out by his own spice-enhanced prescient abilities, unwilling to break free because to do so could plunge the universe in darker times.

If you've read the first, you are likely to want to read the second. The only reason to do so is to find out what happens to the characters you fell in love with in the first book. Otherwise I wouldn't really recommend this one....more

I must confess my heart sank when I began reading this, the sequel to Dune, to find it seemed to be, not just more of the same mind games played between key characters that its predecessor relied on, but also relatively devoid of action of any kind. There was the usual psychological power play conversations indulged in by powerful individuals who were either human computers, psychics, drug users with heightened prescient awareness, shapeshifters or revenants, in fact nary an ordinary human beingI must confess my heart sank when I began reading this, the sequel to Dune, to find it seemed to be, not just more of the same mind games played between key characters that its predecessor relied on, but also relatively devoid of action of any kind. There was the usual psychological power play conversations indulged in by powerful individuals who were either human computers, psychics, drug users with heightened prescient awareness, shapeshifters or revenants, in fact nary an ordinary human being among the lot of them. How would it be possible for the reader to make an empathic connection with beings who are palpably superhuman?

And yet it didn't take long for me to be sucked into this Machiavellian and claustrophobic world of bluff and counter-bluff, political machination and character assassination. It is all patent nonsense, of course, but even though the individuals involved, from Paul Atreides the galactic Emperor to Bijaz the dwarf with a memory like blotting paper, are rarely if ever attractive personalities I found myself increasingly intrigued by how the shifting allegiances and startling revelations would allow the plot to be satisfactorily solved by the final pages. And, despite the twisted logic, it is indeed resolved in a rather satisfying way.

As befits a Dune novel there is a lot of cod philosophising and mystical pretentiousness. The eco message of the first novel has been replaced by occasional meditations on the morality of near-absolute power combined with jihadism which I feel is inadequately addressed except in a very oblique way: for example, what morality is there in the acquiescing in the deaths of billions of beings on other worlds, and how does that impact on our sympathy with the apparently well-meaning elite who presided over it? I also am not persuaded by the pseudo-scienctific and technological attributes of this universe; and I regard the Dune novels as really fantasy which happen to be placed in a science-fiction setting. Still, Herbert's attempts to create a plausible apparatus for his future scenario are largely consistent within its parameters (the literary quotations heading each chapter, the historical legacy emanating from the Earth of millennia ago which allows the incongruous mix of once competing religions and beliefs on worlds unaware of and uninterested in their original context, and so on).

Central to Herbert's plot is the concept of prescience which, combined with genetic predisposition, is bound up with the use of the 'spice' melange (in truth an addictive drug). This is clearly a product of ideas prevalent in the sixties, and must have been, as much as it remains now, a laughable proposition to most readers. Providing the reader accepts this premise (and it is a big proviso) Dune Messiah ends up an optimistic tale despite its atmosphere of Oresteian tragedy....more

I could have sworn I read this book in middle school or high school, right after I read Dune, but it turns out if I did I did not retain ANY of it. The only part I remembered from my supposed previous read was the return of Duncan Idaho as a clone of sorts.

I can see why fans met this book with dismay when it was first published. After the excitement of Dune, it's hard to go into a book where nothing's quite gone the way anyone wanted, and the hero is caught up in bureauocracy, and nobody is partI could have sworn I read this book in middle school or high school, right after I read Dune, but it turns out if I did I did not retain ANY of it. The only part I remembered from my supposed previous read was the return of Duncan Idaho as a clone of sorts.

I can see why fans met this book with dismay when it was first published. After the excitement of Dune, it's hard to go into a book where nothing's quite gone the way anyone wanted, and the hero is caught up in bureauocracy, and nobody is particularly heroic. For lack of a better description, I have to say that "Dune Messiah" feels like "Dune" grown up and forced to get a job.

This is not to say I didn't love the book -- far from it! It definitely feels like a bridging book between "Dune" and "Children of Dune"; although it's approx. 300 pages, it feels a bit like a novella. It's a fast story, rather than a tome. At the end I was left thinking, "Ok, Frank, I think I see where you're going with this. Good show, so far!"...more

NathanWell put - I just finished this book today - my only REAL disappointment was that it was so short! I have yet to read "Children of Dune," but I got thWell put - I just finished this book today - my only REAL disappointment was that it was so short! I have yet to read "Children of Dune," but I got the impression early on that this was sort of an "Empire Strikes Back" of a book - a lot of down notes in this one, but that doesn't make it any less intriguing of a story!

However, because it seemed so short, I felt like it seemed like more of a second epilogue to the first novel than a separate story to itself....more
Aug 15, 2012 08:45PM

Remember, two stars means that the book was ok. The story was intriging enough to keep me reading but the story wasn't that good. The entire book was preparation for the end of the book. There are no major events until the end of the book. And really I found the story a little depressing. It ended in such a way that maybe the future books might have a chance to be less depressing. So I'll probably give another book in the series a chance.

The dialogue was a little complicated in places. I think iRemember, two stars means that the book was ok. The story was intriging enough to keep me reading but the story wasn't that good. The entire book was preparation for the end of the book. There are no major events until the end of the book. And really I found the story a little depressing. It ended in such a way that maybe the future books might have a chance to be less depressing. So I'll probably give another book in the series a chance.

The dialogue was a little complicated in places. I think in an effort to make the characters intelligent and cunning, the author uses confusing dialogue between characters and there were places that I was just plain lost. I'm not sure there was much meaning to grasp at. I was also lost when they talked about government and religion. There wasn't a whole lot of logic there, just platitudes.

Frank Herbert was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American science fiction author.

He is best known for the novel Dune and its five sequels. The Dune saga, set in the distant future and taking place over millennia, dealt with themes such as human survival and evolution, ecology, and the intersection of religion, politics, and power, and is widely considered to be among the classiFrank Herbert was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American science fiction author.

He is best known for the novel Dune and its five sequels. The Dune saga, set in the distant future and taking place over millennia, dealt with themes such as human survival and evolution, ecology, and the intersection of religion, politics, and power, and is widely considered to be among the classics in the field of science fiction.